CPL 2023: How did the international players fare in Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Qualifier 1
Trinbago Knight Riders secured a place in the final of CPL 2023 with a convincing seven-wicket win over Guyana Amazon Warriors in Qualifier 1. Meanwhile, the Warriors will face Jamaica Tallawahs in the second qualifier for the second spot in the final.
Guyana Amazon Warriors were asked to bat first and got off to a promising start. Opener Saim Ayub scored 49 runs off 39 deliveries but didn't get any support from top-order batters Odean Smith and Shai Hope.
Azam Khan, batting at no.4, played a valuable 36-run knock off 27 balls. In the death overs, Gudakesh Motie (19* off 8) and Romario Shepherd (16 off 6) played important cameos to take their team to 166/7 in 20 overs. Waqar Salamkheil and Terrance Hinds took two wickets each for the Trinbago Knight Riders.
In their pursuit of 167, Trinbago opener Chadwick Walton scored runs with ease, staying unbeaten on 80 runs off 57 deliveries with six fours and four sixes.
Walton was well-supported by Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard in the middle overs. The Knight Riders chased down the total with 11 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.
On that note, here is how the international players fared in Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders, Qualifier 1:
Saim Ayub (GUY)
Pakistani hard-hitting opening batter Saim Ayub had a decent outing, scoring 49 runs off 39 balls with four fours and a six at a strike rate of 125.64. Leg spinner Waqar Salamkheil bowled a brilliant flighted delivery outside off, which sharply spun to dismantle Ayub's stumps.
Odean Smith (GUY)
Odean Smith, the Guyana opener, couldn't make a significant impact after starting off well with two boundaries. He holed out to the deep mid-wicket Keacy Carty for a simple catch off Akeal Hosein's bowling for 15 runs off 18 balls.
Shai Hope (GUY)
Leg spinner Salamkheil dismissed Shai Hope for just two runs off five balls. Hope got down on his knees to slog a full length ball, but failed to connect properly, offering a dolly for Chadwick Walton at long-on.
Azam Khan (GUY)
Azam Khan looked in impressive touch during his stay at the crease. However, extra bounce from Terrance Hinds did the trick for TKR as Azam edged it to Nicholas Pooran for 36 runs off 27 balls, featuring three fours and one six.
Shimron Hetmyer (GUY)
Shimron Hetmyer couldn't disturb the scoreboard as he got out for a two-ball duck, trying to take a single after squeezing towards the extra cover. However, Dwayne Bravo's direct hit caught the batter short of the crease.
Dwaine Pretorius (GUY)
After scoring a boundary off Ali Khan's delivery, all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius tried to go for another four over third man area but he couldn't connect a fuller and quick delivery. He lost his stumps for 15 runs off 13 balls.
Romario Shepherd (GUY)
A short ball did the trick for Hinds after conceding a six and a four to Romario Shepherd. The batter failed to connect with the ball, edging it to wicketkeeper Pooran for 16 runs off six balls.
Gudakesh Motie (GUY)
Gudakesh Motie came out to bat in the death overs and played a perfect cameo. In just eight balls, Motie scored an unbeaten 19 knock with a four and two sixes, steering Guyana to a respectable total of 166/7 in 20 overs.
Imran Tahir (GUY)
Captain Imran Tahir wasn't in good touch with the ball as he picked only one wicket - Mark Deyal. In 3.1 overs, he conceded 30 runs at an economy rate of 9.47.
Chadwick Walton (TKR)
TKR opener Chadwick Walton scored an unbeaten 80-run knock off 57 balls, featuring six fours and four sixes at an impressive strike rate of 140.35. Walton set up the chase with a top-class knock, taking his side over the line in the 19th over.
Nicholas Pooran (TKR)
TKR keeper-batter Nicholas Pooran, batting at no.3, kept his side in a good position before getting out for 33 runs off 24 balls, including two fours and as many sixes.
Kieron Pollard (TKR)
Captain Kieron Pollard's 15-ball 23 with two fours and a six at a strike rate of 153.33 made the chase simpler for his side. However, a slower ball from Pretorius did the trick in getting him out bowled.
Andre Russell (TKR)
Andre Russell was expensive with the ball, conceding 17 runs in his two-over spell. With the bat, he remained unbeaten on one run off two deliveries.
Akeal Hosein (TKR)
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein looked in good touch with the ball, scalping the big wicket of Odean Smith for just 15 runs in the seventh over. In his three-over spell, Akeal conceded 28 runs.
Dwayne Bravo (TKR)
Dwayne Bravo sent Shimron Hetmyer back to the pavilion for a duck with a direct hit. However, he couldn't pick a wicket with the ball, conceding 22 runs from three overs.
Ali Khan (TKR)
USA pacer Ali Khan was on the expensive side, conceding 38 runs from his four-over spell. He picked the wicket of Dwaine Pretorius to shun the scoring rate.
Waqar Salamkheil
Afghan leggie Waqar Salamkheil played a crucial role in shunning the scoring rate of Guyana, taking two big wickets of Saim Ayub and Shai Hope in quick succession. He conceded just 28 runs in four overs.